Suspect shot by Fayetteville police dies

A suspect shot by police during a standoff in Fayetteville Friday morning has died, according to authorities.

It started around 2:30 a.m., when police were called about a robbery in progress at the Shell gas station at 8385 Cliffdale Road.

Authorities told ABC11 that 25-year-old Montrez Javon Virgil was armed with a rifle when he walked into the ALCO convenience store in an attempt to rob it, but the store's clerk was able to run out the door.

Police said Virgil then barricaded himself inside the store when officers arrived. They said they repeatedly asked him to come outside.

"We had the crisis negotiators come out," Lt. Chris Davis said. "We had our Bear Cat, which is our armored vehicle come out so they could negotiate at close distance."

Authorities also evacuated nearby homes off Cliffdale Road as a precaution.

"Next thing I know, somebody's pounding at my door, 3:30, 4 in the morning," resident Horace Sessoms said. "I come out here and there were two police officers. Wasn't anything to be afraid about, other than them taking so long to get that situation resolved."

After hours of trying to get Virgil to come out peacefully, the standoff turned violent.

"The negotiations continued, but the suspect actually fired one shot outside of the store, don't know at who," Davis said. "We just know that it did penetrate the store glass."

A few minutes later just before 7:30 a.m., Davis said Virgil was shot by an officer when he came out of the store with a rifle in his hand. He was taken by EMS to a local hospital, where he later died.